ICAO team arrives Nigeria, begins security audit today

A four-man team from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) yesterday arrived the country to conduct security audit on the country’s aviation industry.

The team is expected to inspect some facilities at some of the nation’s airports, including documentation and the efficiency of the security screening machines and other facilities. This is in a bid to strengthen the country’s aviation industry.

Harold Demuren, director general, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), said the audit was capable of giving the country the needed boost and restore confidence to the sector, and help to raise the standard of the Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, and Kano airports, describing the audit as one that would shape the industry.

Demuren said apart from the aviation agencies, the audit would also centre on other government agencies like customs and immigrations to see how they function at the airports.

According to him: "The NCAA is working with some arms of government immigrations and you know Nigeria has done exceedingly well in the area of the new electronic passport, which is one of the best in the world. It’s going to be a major activity. They will be seeing both our domestic and international operations and two airlines have been identified for this; Virgin Nigeria for domestic and KLM for international operations.

"We are going to look at the Nigerian postal services, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), the Skypower Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL).We will also be talking with our nation’s customs and immigrations and also our police. We have our screeners. We look at services that can be out of safe security requirements at the airport. Look at our various perimeter fences, major activities are involved," he said.

Demuren, who said he had been working hand in hand with other agencies on making the audit a success, expressed optimism that the nation would come out in flying colours at the end of the audit.

Stakeholders are of the opinion that the performance of Nigeria at the audit would greatly assist in achieving the desire of the country to obtain the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) category one status.

COURTESY BUINESS DAY